


Storms We Cannot Weather

by rainy_fangirl



Series: Les Mis Gruvia [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, Gray can't sleep alone, Late Night Conversations, Living Together, Morning After, Morning Cuddles, Rain, Rain Sex, Roommates, Sleepy Cuddles, Smut, Storms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 14:55:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11443209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainy_fangirl/pseuds/rainy_fangirl
Summary: 02. Midnight coffee, aggressive thunderstorms. tangled sheets and sloppy kisses. Lonely nights. Closing one door to open another. The warmth of an old friend and the heat of a new lover.





	Storms We Cannot Weather

The rain started hard and fast, ruining his fitful sleep as it shattered against his windowpane. This rain was different from Juvia's, he could tell. Her's was gentle, the misting kind of rain that left flowers in its wake. This, however, was a thunderstorm.  
She appeared in his doorway less than a minute later, her sky blue hair ruffled as if she too hadn't been able to sleep. He sighed, hating how miserable rainstorms made her. "That's kind of creepy, you know." He called out to her, secretly grateful for the company.  
"Ga-Gray-sama!" She squeaked, face flushing in the hallway light. Then tentatively, "You're still awake?"  
He smirked, rolling his eyes at the 'sama'. "As are you. What's up?" He asked, sitting up criss crossed.  
Juvia glanced at him, then the rain pounding against his window.  
He nodded. "Sit down." He gestured to a spot on the bed. She blushed but agreed, settling herself next to him, the tears still falling.  
They were quiet a minute, Juvia had always been the comforter, Gray was no good at it. He held out his hand, palm open. She took it, interlacing their fingers like when they performed a unison raid. Although they were holding hands, there was something almost cold between the two, as they leaned up against each other, each lost in separate fears.  
Juvia's shuddering sobs were what broke his reverie. He guided her hand closer, coming to rest on his knee. "Shh, it's okay." Gray whispered. It has been months since her fight with Keyes, but the excess ethernano still hadn't worked its way completely of her. Knowing that Juvia's magic was triggered by her emotions, he tried his best to keep her happy, and not risk a flare-up from the near deadly poison. "You didn't cause this."  
Her breathing was unsteady, unfocused. "I know you didn't, it's not like you." Juvia leaned her head on his shoulder, and Gray tried his best not to stiffen. He was unused to physical contact, especially since leaving the guild. He let go of her hand, instead wrapping his arms around her, in an awkward embrace he doubted she could breathe through. Was this the right way to comfort? Gray knew he preferred words to touches, but ever since the two of them had met, Juvia had always been physically clingy; from holding hands to falling asleep on top of him, after a particularly draining job. Was she enjoying this? Juvia was still crying, undoubtedly remembering the first seventeen years of her life, when this sort of weather followed her like a ghost. He had been there the first time she'd seen the sun, lying next to her on the rooftop, near drowning in a puddle of rain and melting ice. "Come on Juv." Gray whispered. "You can't get yourself sick on me now. Tell me what's wrong."  
She shuddered against him. "Nightmare." The word was so quick and quiet, he nearly missed it.  
"About?" Gray pried gently, excited at her progress.  
"During the Grand Magic Games, after the gate had been opened." He closed his eyes, remembering the bloodshed and endless night that had accompanied the dragon invasion. "It was you, me, Lyon, and Meredy. There were all those canon things behind us." Juvia traced a circle on his left pec. "The first shot entered here." Her voice was fragile with fresh tears. Almost instinctively, Gray tightened the hug. "There was nothing I could do, you pushed me away." He leaned back, lying back onto the bed, pulling Juvia with him.  
"I seem to do that too much." Gray whispered, running his fingers through her ocean hair. "I'm sorry."  
Her chin rested on her collarbone, almost painfully close. "Gray-sama doesn't have to be." Juvia responded, breathless with tears and blush. "You took the shots for me, pushing me out of the way." His eyes widened, remembering the scene almost as vividly as she did. Gray looked down to where she told him the first bolt had hit. He held her tighter, their legs intertwined on the bed. Gray could feel her heartbeat, lying nearly directly on top of his. Juvia peered at him, enjoying the attention but also questioning it. "What is it?"  
"I'm not sure." In his rush to look away, embarrassed, their mouths brushed, and while Juvia sat back, alarmed but not unpleased, while Gray could feel his fingers shaking, wanting more of the feeling of a rain woman in his arms.  
"Come here. I'm needing you as much as you need me." Her face was shocked, but she did as she was told.  
"What's wrong?" Juvia asked again, her voice a breathless whisper.  
Gray couldn't help but laugh. "I think, Juv, that I'm well on my way to falling in love with you, and there's hardly anything wrong with that." And all like that, they were kissing, Juvia was leaning over him, her hair falling in azure waves, curtaining off the couple from the rest of the world. It was an almost magical feeling. The two of them had fallen out of touch with their remaining comrades, and since long, out of the way jobs kept them travelling, neither of them were particularly close with the neighbors. The only person who truly knew Gray in a million miles was right here, against his mouth. He couldn't help but smile. Juvia Lockser was on top of him; the Juvia Lockser, the child who had been haunted and abused, the woman who had learned to use her emotions as a weapon. The girl who had fallen hard, caring for someone who she knew wasn't ready to love her back. Juvia was peace and power, the eye of the storm. Gray tugged at her shirt, and she was all too happy to oblige, taking his too. He leaned up, hand buried in her curls the entire time. He fiddled with her bra clasps, while Juvia took on the task of sliding off both their pants. Gray' s hand fumbled, reaching for a condom and slipping it on before the kissing continued, this time hungry and feverish, like they were both trying to fill their empty places with whatever feeling this was. Her hips rolled against him, and she moaned, just a little into his mouth. He grit his teeth. Juvia was still on top of him, perched lazily, like a spoiled housecat. Gray wasn't having it, and he sat up slowly, making Juvia lean back onto the bed, adjusting her position accordingly. Things were different on top, pleasurable and dominating. From here, Gray could see the rain, rivulets of them slipping down his windowpane, and the occasional flash of lightning. He kissed her again, reigniting the dying flames. Gray kissed Juvia like he needed something, more ravenously, burning with something deeper, more basic than love. He kissed her hungrily, with a need that didn't care about their relationship (or lack thereof), or what they would say or do afterwards, that would all come later, this was now, and Gray was all for living in the present. When they had finished and adequately cleaned themselves up, they sat at the kitchen table, staring deep into the sloppily made cups of coffee Gray had produced when Juvia had gotten out of the shower. Neither of them had bothered to ask if the discussion could wait till the next morning, he knew that neither of them would get much sleep tonight, due to the ceaseless storm and the knowledge that the cottage' s other inhabitant was just down the hall, wide awake and alone. Gray took his coffee black, but Juvia preferred her's with cream and sugar; a fact she was surprised he remembered. This is why, Gray thought, the bed was better, empty before dawn, before he and the girl in it were sober enough to figure out what they had done the night before. Gray was never one for emotional attachment, which was why he was dreading the conversation. Leave it afterwards, sex, nothing more. That had been his catchphrase after all these years, but this was different. Juvia was different. Gray didn't know what to do. He was about to say something, anything to break the silence, but before he could, she burst into tears. God, he had really fucked up now. He ran a hand through his spiky black hair, trying not to sigh. Not sure if she wanted physical attention, after what had transpired, Gray slid his arm across the kitchen table, offering her his hand. She took it lightly, their fingertips barely brushing. A polite no. Okay. He took a deep breath. "How are you feeling?" Gray asked, his voice soft.  
Juvia didn't glare, or even scowl, but her position was clear. Fine. He decided to take a step back, give her words instead of ask for them.  
"I think I love you." Gray cleared his throat. "Because," he let the word hang on the silence, hoping to lure her out. She didn't bite. "You're always there for me. You gave me the time I need. You waited for me to heal. You didn't expect me to love you back. I think I love you because you have a heart." His laugh was almost cold. "Hell, you went to Tartaros and back and you can still wake up with a smile. Because when you're focussing really hard, you bite your tongue. You take pleasure in the simplest things, like when I ruffle your hair or touch your hand or give you whatever affection I'm capable of showing you and your face just lights up. It's like I make your century or something." Gray smiled as he watched her blush against all free will. "So. Now that that's over, are you okay?"  
"Y-yes." Her voice was soft and shaky as a newborn deer. He squeezed her hand, and Juvia returned the gesture. "So," She asked after a minute. "Why couldn't you sleep?"  
Gray laughed humorlessly. "Everything. Ur, the guild, wherever Ultear is now. You, Lyon." He shrugged. "Seems like everyone I care about should receive financial compensation for everything I put them through."  
She looked at him as if she was trying to figure out a puzzle. Juvia was the type of person who could endure anyone, her past boyfriends had all been douchebags, but she has a magical sort of way of putting up with deep seated flaws, things people normally couldn't look past. Gray wondered what she was thinking. "You're lonely. I think it's because you don't let anyone in." She sighed. "But the important thing is that we keep living. Have an open heart and all." He nodded. "I wonder if..." Juvia's voice trailed off. "Would it help you if I was there?" She asked hesitantly.  
To anyone else, this would seem shallow, an empty solution, but for him, it might actually work. Gray was used to sleeping in the vicinity of others, whether it was around the other members of Team Natsu or some girl he'd picked up. It was weird now, he suddenly realized. The only time Gray had slept by himself was before Deliora. "Actually...yes." He looked at the chipped, blue mugs. Neither of them had drunk their coffee, an unsurprising fact. Juvia smiled. "Stay with me." Her expression changed to one of almost shock.  
"That's out of character." She muttered. "You're always so cold. Prickly." Juvia laughed a little. "What changed?"  
"Every time it rains." Gray's voice trailed off. "You get so sad, it breaks my heart. Cracks me open a little. And every time I see you, I'm reminded of that. How sad you are sometimes, and how, maybe I'd just told you that you mattered or kiss your tears away then it'd stop." He sighed. "But I was scared, for a long time, too long. And then, tonight, I realized I was tired of fighting it." Gray took her hand across the table, so suddenly that she gasped. "So stay with me?" He asked. "Please?"  
"As if you ever had to ask." Juvia smiled.  
Waking up next to her was a magic Gray never wanted to be without. The Rain Woman was curled up against his chest, the little spoon, warm against him. The sunlight bleeding into the room bounced off her ocean curls in various shades of blue. Gently, he coaxed the stands out of her face, wondering how he never noticed before. Gray placed his hand gently on her hip, nervously and delicately, like she was breakable. Juvia turned to him, looking up groggily and almost a little annoyed. "What's wrong?" She asked, tired but now with a hint of panic.  
He just smiled. "Nothing." Gray moved a strand of hair out of her face. "Don't worry." He added, kissing her cheek. Last night's failed coffee hadn't been the end of their raging emotions, and certainly not the end of their kissing.  
"You should go back to sleep." Juvia murmured, falling back against the pillow.  
"You should too." Gray reminded her, pressing his face into her shoulder.  
"Did this help?" She asked, her hand covering his on her hip.  
"Amazingly." His lips grazed her neck. "We're gonna have to keep you around." Gray laughed.  
Juvia nestled against him, enjoying his comfort.  
When the two of them finally untangled themselves, the rain had started up again, but neither of them seemed to notice.


End file.
